Florida City Declares Itself First LGBTQ+ Sanctuary in the State

Lake Worth Beach, Florida, is the first sanctuary city for LGBTQ+ people in the sunshine state.

Commissioners for the community of over 40,000 south of West Palm Beach voted unanimously to declare their city an LGBTQ+ sanctuary, as the state continues to grapple with legislation that many view as an attack on gay and transgender Floridians.

“The City of Lake Worth Beach shall now and forever be considered a safe place, a sanctuary, a welcoming and supportive city for LGBTQ+ individuals and their families to live in peace and comfort," read the city’s resolution, the first of its kind in the state.

A similar resolution is also being discussed in the state’s capital city of Tallahassee.

The move to adopt the resolution was led by the Palm Beach County Human Rights Council (PBCHRC) and embraced by the local government, according to WPTV. 

"I think it's time to take a stand that we affirmatively accept the people as they are," Lake Worth Beach Mayor Betty Resch said, according to WPTV. 

While the resolution is mostly symbolic, the PBCHRC argued that it was significant, in light of Governor Ron DeSantis’s positions on LGBTQ+ rights. 

“With so many LGBTQ+ people and allies fleeing Florida for less hostile states, we are thrilled Lake Worth Beach Mayor Resch and the city commissioners continue to work to ensure the health, safety and well-being of LGBTQ+ people and our families,” the organization’s founder, Rand Hoch, said in a statement.

In the last year, the state government in Florida has passed an array of laws that have been criticized by LGBTQ+ organizations. 

Florida restricted access to gender-affirming care, banned instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity in elementary schools and prohibited gender-inclusive restrooms and changing facilities in public facilities.

In May, the Human Rights Campaign, a national LGBTQ+ organization released a travel advisory, warning gay and transgender people about the risks of traveling in or moving to Florida.

"We are losing a lot of tourism. We're losing a lot of business," Hoch said, according to WPTV.

"We want to let people know that you are welcome here if you're gay, lesbian or trans. And that's an important statement to make these days because what people are hearing is the exact opposite."